Sheets hingedly connected by masking tape and bendable metal strip



w. v. DOYLE ETAL 3,296,737 SHEETS HINGEDLY CONNECTED BY MASKING TAPE AND Jan. 10, 1967 BENDABLE METAL STRIP 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Aug. l5, 1962 Jan 10, 1967 vv. v. DOYLE ETAL 3,296,737

SHEETS HINGEDLY CONNECTED BY MASKING TAPE AND BENDABLE METAL STRIP Filed Aug. 13, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent Oee 3,296,737 Patented Jan. l0, i967 3,296,737 SHEETS HINGEDLY CNNECTED BY MASIHNG TAPE AND BENDABLE METAL STRIP Wiiiiam V. Doyle and Margaret D. Boyle, both of 5323 Washburn Ave. S., Minneapolis, Minn. S5410 Fiied Aug. 13, 1962. Ser. No. 216,383 16 Claims. (Cl. 46-157) Our present invention relates generally to paper dolls and more specifically to an improved paper doll body construction and paper doll clothing construction.

Conventional paper dolls are usually made of a sheet of cardboard, with the periphery being formed to display the outline of a human figure, and with one or both surfaces being printed to resemble a human figure dressed in underclothes and/ or other garments. Some users of these dolls desire to bend the parts of the body out of the plane of the cardboard to assume limited non-planar positions. However, due to the stiffness of the cardboard usually used, bending of a particular part tends to weaken the doll body at the point of flexure, resulting in tearing of the part from the rest of the body. Moreover, even if some cardboard can be bent, due to the inherent resilient nature of cardboard, the parts that are bent out of the plane of the body do not retain the shape or position to which they are bent, but rather tend to return to the original plane of the cardboard.

Additional clothes now used with paper dolls of the character described are printed on paper and are adapted to be fastened to the doll body by means of paper tabs which extend outwardly beyond the periphery of the clothing. These tabs are designed to be folded backward around the edges of the doll body to hold the article of clothing in place on the doll. FIlhis arrangement has proven to be unsatisfactory. Even if each tab is firmly bent or creased about the doll, it has a natural resilience which causes it to tend to return to the original plane of the sheet from which it was bent. Thus the inherent resilience of the tab causes it to move away from the back of the doll permitting the article of clothing to fall off easily, particularly when the doll is moved. Another difficulty arising out of the use of these tabs is that the tabs are weak and have a tendency to tear from the article of clothing.

It is a primary object of our present invention to provide an improved paper doll body construction and paper doll clothing construction which obviates the above described disadvantages of the prior art.

It is another object of our present invention to provide a paper doll body construction comprising a sheet of cardboard in which one or more of the parts thereof may be selectively bent out of the plane of the cardboard to simulate a variety of realistic life-like positions, such as standing, walking, sitting and bending, and selectively returned to the original plane of the cardboard.

It is still another object of our present invention to provide a paper doll body construction comprising a sheet of cardboard in which one or more parts thereof may be bent repeatedly into various preselected shapes or positions without causing tearing of the part from the body.

It is a further object of our present invention to provide a paper doll body construction, as described, wherein the parts, upon being bent into preselected positions, are retained in such positions until manually returned to the original plane of the cardboard or moved to another position.

It is la still further objectl of our present invention to provide a paper doll clothing construction wherein the one or more tabs extending beyond the periphery thereof upon being bent about a doll body lare retained in such position until manually released.

To accomplish the foregoing objects, we propose to incorporate with the paper doll body, shape retaining means of the character described and claimed in our copending application, Serial No. 216,382, filed August 13, 1962. Such retaining means comprises, in general, bendable means, which is preferably an elongated bendable metal band, and adhesive means, which is carried by the bendable means and serves to ax the latter to the doll body. Specific embodiments of shape retaining means will be described in greater detail hereafter. In our present invention, crease means extends transversely of at least one portion of the doll body and the shape retaining means is disposed across the crease means and is affixed to the two parts of the doll body adjacent the crease means. The shape retaining means serves to retain the one part in any position to which it has been bent relative to the other part, and reenforces the crease means so as to increase the number of times that one part may be flexed relative to the other before failure. Thus, the shape retaining means imparts continuing, controlled exibility to the doll body. More particularly, we contemplate a doll construction comprising a paper doll member having a body portion, a head portion, at least one arm portion, and at least one leg portion, wherein the crease means, across which the shape retaining means is disposed, is formed at the junctions of these portions and also intermediate of the ends of certain of the portions.

It is a feature of our present invention that each crease means includes a pair of generally parallel closely adjacent creases that cooperate with the shape retaining means to decrease the probability of tearing at the crease means during flexing of the various parts or portions of a doll.

We also propose to incorporate shape retaining means of the class described above with paper doll clothing. In this application, the shape retaining means is affixed to the clothing and to at least one of the tabs across the line where t-he tab is adapted to be folded, whereby the tab may be bent about a doll yand will remain in such position. With our paper doll clothing construction, articles of clothing may be held rmly to a doll, and the tabs will not tear nor lose their ability to function over a period of time, thus insuring that the clothing will not fall off the doll. Also, our construction makes use of conventional tabs on articles of clothing as now manufactured, but causes them to hold the articles of clothing firmly in position. Furthermore, fewer tabs are needed than in the c-ase of the usual paper doll. Finally, our construction makes it possible for articles of clothing to be fastened to, and unfastened from, the doll very easily.

Now in order to acquaint those skilled in the art with the manner of constructing and using paper doll constructions in accordance with the principles of our present invention, we shall describe in connection with the accompanying drawings preferred embodiments of our invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE l is a front view of -a paper doll body constructed in accordance with the principles of our present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the crease means employed in one of the leg portions of the paper doll body construction of FIGURE l, taken substantially `along the line 2 2 in FIGURE l, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of one embodiment of shape retaining means that may be employed in the paper doll body construction of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the shape retaining means of FIGURE 3, taken substantially along the line 4 4 in FIGURE 3, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view, similar to FIGURE 2, of one of the leg portions of the paper doll body, with one part thereof being disposed out of the plane of the other part;

FIGURE 6 is a rear view of an article of paper doll clothing constructed in accordance with the principles of our present invention;

FIGURE 7 is a front view of a paper doll body 0n which the paper doll clothing construction of FIGURE 6 has been fastened;

FIGURE 8 is a plan View of another embodiment of shape retaining means suitable for incorporation with the paper doll body construction of FIGURE 1 and the paper doll clothing construction of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged sectional view of the shape retaining means of FIGURE 8, taken substantially along the line 9 9 in FIGURE 8, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 10 is a plan view of still another embodiment of shape retaining means adapted to be incorporated with the paper doll body construction of FIGURE l and the paper doll clothing construction of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged sectional view of the shape retaining means of FIGURE 10, taken substantially along the line 11-11 in FIGURE 10, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE l2 is a plan view of a further embodiment of shape retaining means adapted to be incorporated with the paper doll body construction of FIGURE 1 and the paper doll clothing construction of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 13 is an enlarged sectional View of the shape retaining means of FIGURE l2, taken substantially along the line 13-13 in FIGURE 12, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIGURE 14 is a plan View of a still further embodiment of shape retaining means adapted to 'be incorporated with the paper doll body construction of FIGURE 1 and the paper doll clothing construction of FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 15 is an enlarged sectional View of the shape retaining means of FIGURE 14, taken substantially along the line 15-15 in FIGURE 14, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

In order to illustrate our present invention to advantage, it will be understood that the thicknesses of various of the elements in the drawings have been exaggerated and are not shown in their true proportions. K

Referring now to FIGURE 1, there is indicated generally by the reference numeral a paper doll body constructed in accordance with the principles of our present invention. The doll body 20 is made of a sheet of paper board, cardboard, or similar functioning material with the periphery thereof being formed to display the outline of a miniature human ligure and with the front side or both sides being printed to resemble the features of a human ligure. If desired, suitable underclothes and/or other garments may also be printed on one or both surfaces of the doll body 20. Although the paper doll body construction of our present invention may be used with dolls of various sizes and shapes, for purposes `of illustration we have shown the doll 'body 20 as comprising a main body portion 21, .a head portion 22, arm` portions 23 and 24, and leg portions 25 and 26. A vertical median slit 27 serves to separate the upper parts of the leg portions and 26.

To facilitate bending of various parts of the doll body away from the original plane of the cardboard, we provide a plurality of crease means, each indicated generally by the reference numeral 28. By way of example only, We have arranged crease means 28 at the junction of the head portion 22 and main body portion 21--the simulated neck line, at the junction of the leg portions 25 and 26 with the main body portion ZI-the simulated hip line, intermediate of the ends of the arm portions 23 and 24-the simulated elbow lines, and intermediate of the ends of the leg portions 25 and 24S-the simulated knee lines. As shown in FIGURE 2, the crease means 28 extending transversely of the leg portion 26 intermediate of the ends thereof preferably comprises a pair of generally parallel closely adjacent creases 29 and 30 preferably formed in the front side of the leg portion 26. Each of the other crease means 28 extending transversely of other parts of the doll body 2t) is preferably of the same construction as the crease means shown in FIG- URE 2. Although each of the crease means 28 preferably comprises two creases formed in the front side of various parts of the doll body 2), it will be understood that each crease means may comprise a single crease or more than two creases formed in either the front side or the back side of various parts of the doll body 20.

The paper doll body construction of FIGURE 1 further comprises a plurality of shape retaining means, indicated generally by the reference numeral 31, each of which is disposed across one of the crease means 28 and is aflixed to the two parts of the doll body adjacent the crease means 28. As shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, each shape retaining means 31 comprises 'bendable means 32 that is deformable into preselected shapes and adhesive means 33 that is carried by, and is conjointed deformable with, the bendable means 32. The bendable means 32 preferably is an elongated bendable metal band of relatively high ductility, and the adhesive means 33 includes an elongated flexible crepe strip or sheet 34 and a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive material 35. The crepe sheet 34 is substantially wider than the metal band 32 and is aixed to the latter by the adhesive material 35 along its lengthwise median portion. By way of example, the band 31 may be fabricated from 36-gauge brass foil with a 3/16 inch width and the sheet 34 may be of 1/2 inch width. The shape retaining means 31, including the metal band 32, is aixed to the doll body 20 by the adhesive material 35 along the lengthwise marginal portions of the crepe sheet 34. For further details concerning the construction and characterisics of these and other shape retaining means, reference may be had to our copending application, Serial No. 216,382, tiled August 13, 1962.

By using the doll body construction of FIGURE 1, any one or more of the various parts thereof may be bent, at the crease means 28, out of the original plane of the cardboard to simulate life-like positions. For eX- ample, the lower part of the leg portion 26 may be bent, at the intermediate crease means 28, out of the plane of the upper part of the leg portion 26 and rearwardly to the position shown in FIGURE 5. The lower part of the leg portion 26 will be retained and suppoxted in this position by the shape retaining means 31. Correspondingly, the lower part of the leg portion 26 could be bent forwardly out of the plane of the upper part of the leg portion 26, the shape retaining means being capable of functioning either on the outside or the inside of a fold line. Thus the leg portion 26 may be deformed into preselected shapes and the two adjacent surfaces thereof may be disposed and retained in preselected non-coincident planes.

Since the shape retaining means 31 may be repeatedly bent and will retain any shape to which it is bent, it will be appreciated that continuing, controlled flexibility is imparted to the doll body and that the lower part of the leg portion 26 may be bent and re'bent relative to the upper part of the leg portion 26 to any angular position. The preferred form of crease means 28 serves to cooperate with the shape retaining means in increasing the flexure characteristics of the doll body at the fold lines. Other parts of the doll body 20 may be bent at any of the crease means 2S in a manner similar to that described in connection with the lower part of the legportion 26.' In assembled relation, the shape retaining means serve to strengthen the doll body and lessen the tendency of the latter to bow, bend or spring out of position. Thus, the doll body may be made of lighter weight material than would otherwise be possible without the use of the shape retaining means. It is to be understood that the doll body construction 20 may be supplied to the ultimate user with the shape retaining means 31 fixed in position across the several crease means 28, or that the doll body and shape retaining means 31 may be supplied together but unassembled with instructions to the ultimate user relative to afiixing the shape reteaining means to the doll body. The shape retaining means 31 may also be used at the fold or crease lines, or joints, of dolls other than the type shown in FIGURE 1, including those having spaced front and back body portions, as disclosed in our copending application, Serial No. 755,689, filed August 18, 1958, now Patent No. 3,073,059, issued January 15, 1963.

Referring now to FIGURE 6, there is shown the back side of paper doll clothing constructed in accordance with the principles of our present invention and indicated generally by the reference numeral 36. The paper doll clothing construction 36 comprises a paper clothing member 37 suitably printed on the front side thereof and having an outline conforming to the shape of the article of clothing which it simulates. Extending outwardly beyond the periphery of the paper clothing member 37 are a plurality of tabs 38 which are designed to be folded about the edges of a doll body to hold the clothing in place on the doll. As illustrated in FIGURE 6, shape retaining means 31 are adhesively affixed to the clothing member 37 and each of the tab members 38 across the line where the tab 38 is adapted to be folded, whereby the tab may be bent to and remain in selected positions.

In using the paper doll clothing construction of FIG- URE 6, the clothing member 37 is laid over the doll body to which it is to be attached and the tabs 38 and associated shape retaining means 31 are bent rearwardly about the adjacent edges of a doll body 39 to the positions shown in FIGURE 7. With this construction, the article of clothing 37 is held firmly to the doll 39 thus insuring that the clothing will not fall off of the doll. It will be observed that the shape retaining means 31 may be used with conventional tabs on articles of clothing as now manufactured and that, due to the firmness with which the shape retaining means engages the doll body, fewer tabs are needed than in the case of the usual paper doll. In addition, our paper doll clothing construction is such that anyone can fasten the article of clothing to the doll and unfasten and remove the article from the doll Very easily. Furthermore, the shape retaining means 31 serve to reenforce the tabs 38 so that the latter will not tear or lose their ability to function over a period of time. The paper doll clothing construction of FIGURE 6 may be used with the paper doll body construction of FIGURE 1 or with other types of doll bodies, or parts thereof, including those printed on one or both sides, and those having spaced front and back pieces arranged to receive paper doll clothing tabs therebetween, as described and claimed in our copending application, Serial No. 755,689, filed August 18, 1958, now Patent No. 3,073,059, issued January 15, 1963.

Referring now to FIGURES 8 and 9, we shall describe another embodiment of shape retaining means, indicated generally by the reference numeral 40, which may be incorporated in the paper doll body construction of FIG- URE 1 and the paper doll clothing construction of FIG- URE 6. The shape retaining means 40 comprises bendable means 41, which is preferably an elongated bendable metal band, and adhesive means 42, which is comprised of a first elongated flexible crepe strip or sheet 43 having a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive material 44 on one side thereof, and a second elongated flexible crepe strip or sheet 45 having a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive material 46 on the exposed surface thereof. Although the crepe sheet 45 preferably has adhesive material on one surface only, it will be understood that the sheet 45 will function satisfactorily if it has layers of adhesive material on both surfaces thereof. Also, if the crepe sheet 45 has adhesive material on both surfaces thereof, the crepe sheet 43 may be used without the layer of adhesive material 44. The flexible sheets 43 and 45 are of substantially the same width, which is substantially greater than the width of the metal band 41. The crepe sheet 43 is aixed by the adhesive material 44 along its lengthwise median portion to the one side of the metal band 41 and along its lengthwise marginal portions to the lengthwise marginal portions of the crepe sheet 45. The shape retaining means 40, including the metal band 41, may be afiixed to the paper doll body of FIGURE 1 or the paper doll clothing of FIGURE 6 by the layer of adhesive material 46 on the crepe sheet 45. In this embodiment of shape retaining means, a 36-gauge brass foil strip 1A inch in width and sheets 43 and 45 of 1/2 inch widlh may be used. Movement of the metal band 41 during flexing is permitted by the stretchability of the crepe sheet 43, together with the absence of adhesive material between the metal band 41 and the crepe sheet 45, and by the slight resilient characteristics of the other elements of the shape retaining means 40. This arrangement increases the number of possible flexings before failure. Another feature of this embodiment of shape retaining means is that the metal band 41 is covered on both sides by crepe paper, thus eliminating any hazards of metal edges that might otherwise be exposed prior to attachment of the shape retaining means to a doll body or a doll clothing.

Still another embodiment of our shape retaining means, indicated generally by the reference numeral 48, is shown in FIGURES 10 and 11. The shape retaining means 48 comprises bendable means 49, which is preferably an elongated bendable metal band that may be fabricated from 1A inch wide :i6-gauge brass foil, and adhesive means 50, which include an elongated flexible crepe strip or sheet 51 having a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive material 52 on one side thereof and a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive material 53 on the other side thereof. As illustrated in FIGURE 1l, the crepe sheet 51 is substantially the same width as the metal band 49, and is affixed to the latter by the layer of adhesive material 52. The metal band 49 may be affixed to the paper doll body of FIGURE 1 or the paper doll clothing of FIGURE 6 by the layer of adhesive material 53. The stretchability of the crepe sheet 51, which is interposed between the metal band 49 and the doll body or doll clothing to which the latter is atiixed, permits movement of the metal band 49 relative to such body or clothing during bending, thus promoting the durability thereof.

A further embodiment of our shape retaining means, indicated generally by the reference numeral 54, is shown in FIGURES 12 and 13. The shape retaining means 54 comprises bendable means 55, which is an elongated bendable metal band similar in shape and material to the metal band 49 of the embodiment of shape retaining means shown in FIGURES l0 and 1l, and adhesive means 56, which consists of a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive material sprayed or otherwise applied directly to one side of the me-tal band 55. With this construction, the metal band 55 may be affixed directly to -a doll body or doll clothing by the adhesive material 56.

A still further embodiment of shape retaining means adapted to be incorporated with the paper doll body construction of FIGURE 1 and the paper doll clothing construction of FIGURE 6 is shown in FIGURES 14 and l5 and is indicated generally by the reference numeral 57. The shape retaining means 57 comprises bendable means 58, which is preferably a metal wire deformable lengthwise into preselected shapes, and adhesive means 59, which is comprised of a first elongated flexible crepe strip or sheet 60 having a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive material 61 on one side thereof, and a second elongated flexible crepe strip or sheet 62. The crepe sheet 60 is of substantially greater width than the metal wire 58, and the crepe sheet 62 is of greater width than the metal wire 58, but of a lesser width than the crepe sheet 60. The crepe sheet 60 is affixed by the adhesive material 61 along t-he lengthwise median portion thereof to the crepe sheet 62 with the metal wire 5S being embedded therebetween. In this construction, the metal wire 58 may be aflixed to the paper doll body of FIGURE l or the paper doll clothing of FiGURE 6 by the adhesive material 61 along the lengthwise marginal portions of the crepe sheet 60. The absence of adhesive material on either side of the crepe sheet 62, and the stretchability of both crepe sheets 60 and 62, permit movement of the wire 53 relative to the crepe sheet 62 and to the article to which it is afiixed during flexing, thus increasing the durability thereof. Although the crepe sheet 62 preferably does not have iadhesive material on either side thereof, it will be understood -that adhesive material may be applied to either or both sides of the crepe sheet 62 to increase the rigidity of the shape retaining means and/or to increase the area of adhesive material to be presented to the article to which the shape retaining means is to be afiixed.

In connection with the doll body shown in FIGURE 1, the lower extremities of the leg portions and 26 are imprinted with simulated foot portions 70 and 71 from each side of which respectively project lateral stand means in the form of extensions or wings 72 and 73. When, for example, the leg portion 25 is bent so as to dispose the foot portion 70 forwardly of the foot portion 71, or vice versa, the wings 72 and '73, which remain in the plane of the foot portions from which they extend, serve to stabilize the doll body 20 and tend to prevent the latter from tilting or tipping sidewise.

As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, lthe various embodiments of shape retaining means disclosed herein may be incorporated with paper animals, buildings, furniture, and the like.

While we have shown and described what we believe to be preferred embodiments of our present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

We claim:

1. In combination: two adjacent surfaces, each said surface being a surface of a sheet member, said surfaces being disposed in non-coincident planes; elongated shape retaining means being comprised of a band of elongated bendable metal deformable lengthwise, an elongated exible crepe sheet having pressure sensitive adhesive material on one side thereof and having a width substantially greater than the width of said metal band, and said crepe sheet being aflixed by said adhesive material along its lengthwise median portion to said metal band; and said shape retaining means extending between said surfaces and being aixed to the latter by said adhesive material along the lengthwise marginal portions of said crepe sheet for retaining said surfaces in any preselected relative position.

2. An article comprising: a iiexible sheet member adapted to be deformed into preselected shapes; elongated shape retaining means being comprised of a band of elongated bendable metal deformable lengthwise, an elongated flexible crepe sheet having pressure sensitive adhesive material on one side thereof and having a width substantially greater than the width of said metal band, and said crepe sheet being affixed by said adhesive material -along its lengthwise median portion to said metal band; and said shape retaining means being aixed to said member by said adhesive material along the lengthwise marginal portions of said crepe sheet and serving to retain said member in any preselected shape.

3. In combination: two adjacent surfaces, each said surface being a surface of a sheet member, said surfaces being disposed lin non-coincident planes; elongated shape retaining means being comprised of a band of elongated 75 bendable metal deformable lengthwise into preselected shapes, a first elongated flexible crepe sheet having pressure sensitive adhesive material on one side thereof and having a width substantially greater than the width of said metal band, a second elongated exible crepe sheet having pressure sensitive adhesive material on one side thereof and being substantially the same width as said iirst crepe sheet, and said first crepe sheet being aixed by said adhesive material along its lengthwise median portion to said metal band and along its lengthwise marginal portions to the other side of said second crepe sheet; and said shape retaining means extending between said surfaces `and being affixed to the latter by said adhesive material on said second crepe sheet for retaining said surfaces in any preselected relative position.

4. An article comprising: a iexible sheet member adapted to be deformed into preselected shapes;4 elon-` gated shape retaining means being comprised of a band of elongated bendable metal deformable lengthwise into preselected shapes, a first elongated flexible crepe sheet having pressure sensitive adhesive material on one side there-of and having a width substantially greater than the width of said metal band, a second elongated ilexible crepe sheet having pressure sensitive adhesive material on one side thereof and being substantially the same width as said first crepe sheet, and said first crepe sheet being affixed by said adhesive material along its lengthwise median portion to said metal band and along its lengthwise marginal portions to the other side of said second crepe sheet; and said shape retaining means xbeing axed to said member by said adhesive material on said second crepe sheet and serving to retain said member in any preselected shape.

5. In combination: two adjacent surfaces, each said surface being a surface of a sheet member, said surfaces being disposed in non-coincident planes; elongated shape retaining means being comprised of a band -of elongated bendable metal deformable lengthwise into preselected shapes, an elongated iiexible crepe sheet having pressure sensitive adhesive material on both sides thereof and being of substantially the same width as said metal band, and said crepe sheet being affixed by said adhesive material on one side thereof to said metal band and conforming to the lengthwise shape of the latter; and said shape retaining means extending between said surfaces and being afxed to the latter by said adhesive material on the other side of said crepe sheet for retaining said surfaces in any preselected relative position.

6. An article comprising: a exible sheet member adapted to be deformed into preselected shapes; elongated shape retaining means being comprised of a band of elongated bendable metal deformable lengthwise into preselected shapes, an elongated flexible crepe sheet having pressure sensitive adhesive material on both sides thereof and 1being of substantially the same width as said metal band, and said crepe sheet being aixed by said adhesive material on one side thereof to said metal band land conforming to the lengthwise shape of the latter; and said shape retaining means being aixed to said member by said adhesive material on the other side of said crepe sheet and serving to retain said member in any preselected shape.

7. In combination: two adjacent surfaces, each said surface being a surface of a sheet member, said surfaces being disposed in non-coincident planes; elongated shape retaining means being comprised of a metal wire deformable lengthwise into preselected shapes, a first elongated flexible crepe sheet having pressure sensitive adhesive material on one side thereof and having a width substantially greater than the width of said metal wire, a second elongated flexible crepe sheet having a width greater than the width of said metal wire but less than the width of said rst crepe sheet, and said first crepe sheet being affixed along the lengthwise median portion of said one side thereof to one side of said second crepe sheet with said metal wire being disposed therebetween; and said shape retaining means extending between said surfaces and being affixed to the latter by said adhesive material along the lengthwise marginal portions of said first crepe sheet for retaining said surfaces in any preselected relative position.

8. An article comprising: a flexible sheet member adapted to be deformed into preselected shapes; elongated shape retaining means being comprised of a metal wire deformable lengthwise into preselected shapes, a first elongated flexible crepe sheet having pressure sensitive adhesive material on one side thereof and having a width substantially greater than the Width of said metal wire, a second elongated flexible crepe sheet having -a width greater than the width of said metal wire but less than the width of said rst crepe sheet, and said rst crepe sheet being affixed 4along the lengthwise median portion of said one side thereof to one side of said second crepe sheet with said metal wire being disposed therebetween; and said shape retaining means Ibeing affixed to said member by said adhesive material along the lengthwise marginal portions of said flrst crepe sheet and serving to retain said member in any preselected shape.

9. A doll construction comprising: la paper doll member including flexible sheet portions; crease means extending transversely of at least one portion of said doll member whereby one part of said doll member may be disposed out of the plane of the adjacent part of said doll member; elongated shape retaining means being comprised of a b-and of elongated bendable metal deformable lengthwise, elongated flexible crepe sheet having pressure sensitive adhesive material on one side thereof and having a width substantially greater than the width of said metal band, and said crepe sheet being affixed by said adhesive material along its lengthwise median portion to said metal band; and said shape retaining means extending transversely of said crease means and being afllxed to said two parts of said doll member by said adhes-ive material along the lengthwise marginal portions of said crepe sheet for retaining the said one part in any preselected position relative to the said adjacent part.

10. A doll construction comprising: a paper doll member including flexible sheet portions; crease means extending transversely of at least one portion of said doll member whereby one part of said doll member may be disposed out of the plane of the adjacent part of said doll member; elongated shape retaining means being comprised of a band of elongated bendable metal deformable lengthwise into preselected shapes, a first elongated flexible crepe sheet having pressure sensitive adhesive material on one side thereof and having a width substantially greater than the width of said metal band, a second elongated flexible crepe sheet having pressure sensitive adhesive material on one side thereof land being substantially the same width as said rst crepe sheet, and said rst crepe sheet being affixed by said adhesive material along its lengthwise median portion to said metal band and along its lengthwise marginal portions to the other side of said second crepe sheet; and said shape retaining means extending transversely of said crease means and being aflixed to said two parts of said doll member by said adhesive material on said second crepe sheet for retaining the said one part in any preselected position relative to the said adjacent part.

11. A doll construction comprising: a paper doll member including flexible sheet portions; crease means extending transversely of at least one portion of saiddoll member whereby one part of said doll member may be disposed out of -the plane of the adjacent part 4of said doll member; elongated shape retaining means being comprised of a band of elongated bendable metal deformable lengthwise into preselected shapes, an elongated flexible crepe sheet having pressure sensitive adhesive material on both sides thereof and being of substantially the same width as said metal band, and said crepe sheet being affixed by said adhesive material on one side thereof to said metal band and conforming to the lengthwise shape of the latter; and said shape retaining means extending transversely of said crease means and being affixed to said two parts of said doll member by said adhesive material on the other side of said crepe sheet for retaining the said one part in any preselected position relative to the said adjacent part.

l2. A doll construction comprising: 4a paper doll member including flexible sheet portions; crease means extending transversely of at least one portion of said doll member whereby one part of said doll member may be disposed out of the plane of the adjacent part of said doll member; elongated shape retaining means being comprised of a metal wire deformable lengthwise into preselected shapes, a first elongated flexible crepe sheet having pressure sensitive adhesive material on one side thereof and having a width substantially greater than the width of said metal wire, a second elongated flexible crepe sheet having a width greater than the width of said metal wire but less than the width of said rst crepe sheet, and said first crepe sheet being affixed along the lengthwise median portion of said one side thereof to one side of said second crepe sheet with said metal wire being disposed therebetween; and said shape retaining means extending transversely of said crease means and being affixed to said two parts of said doll member by said adhesive material along the lengthwise marginal portions of said first crepe sheet for retaining the said one part in any preselected position relative to the said adjacent part.

13. A doll construction comprising: a paper doll member including flexible sheet portions; -crease means including a pair of generally parallel closely adjacent creases extending transversely of at least one portion of said doll member whereby one part of said doll member may be disposed out of the plane of the adjacent part of said doll member; elongated shape retaining means being comprised of a band of elongated bendable metal deformable lengthwise, elongated llexible crepe sheet having pressure `sensitive adhesive material on one side thereof, and said crepe sheet being afllxed by said adhesive material along its lengthwise median portion to said metal band; and said shape retaining means extending transversely of said crease means and being affixed to said two parts of said doll member by said adhesive material along the lengthwise marginal portions of said crepe sheet for retaining the said one part in any preselected position relative to the said adjacent part.

14. doll construction comprising: a paper doll flexible sheet member having a .body portion, a head portion, at least one arm portion, and at least one leg portion; crease means at at least one junction of two of said portions whereby one of the said portions may be disposed out of the plane of the other 0f the said portions; elongated shape retaining means being comprised of a band of elongated bendable metal deformable lengthwise, elongated flexible crepe sheet having pressure sensitive adhesive material on one side thereof, and said crepe sheet being affixed by said adhesive material along its lengthwise median portion to said metal band; and said shape retaining ymeans extending transversely of said crease means and being afllxed to the said two portions by said adhesive material along the lengthwise marginal portions of said crepe sheet for retaining the said one portion in any preselected position relative to the said other portion.

15. A doll construction comprising: a paper doll ilexible sheet member having a body portion, a head portion, at least one arm portion, and at least one leg portion; crease means extending transversely of at least yone of said portions intermediate of the ends thereof whereby one part of the said portion may be disposed out of the plane of the other part of the said portion; elongated shape retaining means being comprised of a band of elongated bendable metal deformable lengthwise, elongated flexible crepe sheet having pressure sensitive adhesive material on one side thereof, and said crepe sheet being aixed by said adhesive material along its lengthwise median portion to said metal band; and said shape retaining means extending transversely of said crease means and being affixed to said two parts of the said portion by said adhesive material along the lengthwise marginal portions of said crepe sheet for retaining said one part in any preselected position relative to said other part.

16. Paper doll clothing formed of iexible sheet material and adapted to overlie Aa paper doll member, at least one tab extending outwardly beyond the periphery of the clothing and adapted to be folded at the periphery of the clothing, shape retaining means comprising a bendable metal member and a flexible crepe sheet member secured to said metal member and presenting an adhesive surface, and said members being adhesively secured to said clothing and tab across the line where the tab is adapted to be folded, whereby said tab may be bent to and remain in selected positions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 564,078 7/1896 Jones 46-157 723,438 3/1903 Betts 46-157 1,067,923 7/1913 Ieierson 46-157 1,762,900 6/1930 Todd 229-44 X 1,954,007 4/ 1934 Kohler 229-44 X 1,969,039 8/1934 Rundle 46-157 2,172,937 9/1939 Hamblet 46-157 2,181,325 11/1939 Greneker 46--162 2,200,867 5/ 1940 Weltmer 20G-45.33 2,392,024 1/ 1946 Couri 46-162 2,804,416 8/1957 Phillipsen 117-685 X 2,954,868 10/1960 Swedish 117-685 X 3,047,443 7/1962 Anderson 161-218 X 3,091,892 6/1963 Bailey 46-157 X FOREIGN PATENTS 564,968 10/ 1944 Great Britain.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

F. B. SHAY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION: TWO ADJACENT SURFACES, EACH SAID SURFACE BEING A SURFACE OF A SHEET MEMBER, SAID SURFACES BEING DISPOSED IN NON-CONCIDENT PLANES; ELONGATED SHAPE RETAINING MEANS BEING COMPRISED OF A BAND OF ELONGATED BENDABLE METAL DEFORMABLE LENGTHWISE, AN ELONGATED FLEXIBLE CREPE SHEET HAVING PRESURE SENSITIVE ADHESIVE MATERIAL ON ONE SIDE THEREOF AND HAVING A WIDTH SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN THE WIDTH OF SAID METAL BAND, AND SAID CREPE SHEET BEING AFFIXED BY SAID ADHESIVE MATERIAL ALONG ITS LENGTHWISE MEDIAN PORTION TO SAID METAL BAND; AND SAID SHAPE RETAINING MEANS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SURFACES AND BEING AFFIXED TO THE LATTER BY SAID ADHESIVE MATERIAL ALONG THE LENGTHWISE MARGINAL PORTIONS OF SAID CREPE SHEET FOR RETAINING SAID SURFACES IN ANY PRESELECTED RELATIVE POSITION.
 9. A DOLL CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING: A PAPER DOLL MEMBER INCLUDING FLEXIBLE SHEET PORTIONS; CREASE MEANS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF AT LEAST ONE PORTION OF SAID DOLL MEMBER WHEREBY ONE PART OF SAID DOLL MEMBER MAY BE DISPOSED OUT OF THE PLANE OF THE ADJACENT PART OF SAID DOLL MEMBER; ELONGATED SHAPE RETAINING MEANS BEING COMPRISED OF A BAND OF ELONGATED BENDABLE METAL DEFORMABLE LENGTHWISE, ELONGATED FLEXIBLE CREPE SHEET HAVING PRESSURE SENSITIVE ADHESIVE MATERIAL ON ONE SIDE THEREOF AND HAVING A WIDTH SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN THE WIDTH OF SAID METAL BAND, AND SAID CREPE SHEET BEING AFFIXED BY SAID ADHESIVE MATERIAL ALONG ITS LENGTHWISE MEDIAN PORTION TO SAID METAL BAND; AND SAID SHAPE RETAINING MEANS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID CREASE MEANS AND BEING AFFIXED TO SAID TWO PARTS OF SAID DOLL MEMBER BY SAID ADHESIVE MATERIAL ALONG THE LENGTHWISE MARGINAL PORTIONS OF SAID CREPE SHEET FOR RETAINING THE SAID ONE PART IN ANY PRESELECTED POSITION RELATIVE TO THE SAID ADJACENT PART. 